Deception
by fezes-are-cool
Summary: A Draco-Hermione story. Draco and Hermione have been meeting in secret for a while now. Can they keep their secret from Ron and Harry?


Deception (A Draco-Hermione story)

It was a typical frosty February day. They grey skies covered the white castle like a blanket, concealing Hogwarts from the sun entirely. Draco sat alone in the Slytherin common room, staring at his hands. He could hear distinct noises from the dormitories above him, kids shouting, talking noisily, just generally being kids. The buzz of muffled chatter descended through the ceiling, making him unconsciously flinch every now and again. After hours of sitting silently in the dark, he finally got up and walked out of the common room, to the library, secretly hoping to meet a certain bushy-haired girl there, who was hopefully alone.  
He pushed open the library doors, and avoiding Madam Pince's scathing glare, walked inside, steadying himself as much as he could. He glanced quickly across the room, up and down every row of books and towards the restricted section, with his eyes finally coming to rest on a clump of bushy hair protruding from a thick volume with a long title. She was there, and she was alone. Draco's plan was working. He knew he had to do it now, or he would never do it. Courage didn't come easily to Draco Malfoy, and he knew that fine well. He sat down next to her, and casually began to write on a scrap of parchment. She peered inquisitively over the top of her book,

"_A detailed and dark history of Blood status discrimination, and what does the term 'Blood Traitor' really mean?"_

Draco continued to write, not looking up from his parchment. After a few more minutes of silence, Draco stood up slowly and walked out of the library, purposefully leaving the note behind. Once he was out of the doors, he turned on his heel and ran back to the Slytherin common room, looking extremely pleased with himself, because his plan was still succeeding. Not being able to resist her curiosity, her eyes darted around the table, making sure there was no-one around, before she leaned across the table and grabbed the note. It read: "Meet me at midnight tonight, at the edge of the forbidden forest."

After she had read the note another four times, she stuffed it into her bag along with the heavy book. Pushing her hair out of her face, Hermione stood up, and walked in the direction of the Gryffindor common room.

***

It was approaching midnight, and the darkness was closing in over the Gryffindor common room. Hermione, Ron and Harry sat in the armchairs by the fire, discussing the Potions homework Snape had set for them earlier. The common room was pretty much empty, apart from a few late-nighters sleepily playing gobstones or wizard chess. With only 15 minutes to go, Hermione told Ron and Harry she was going to bed.

"But…It's only midnight! I haven't even started Snape's stupid essay yet, I've got no chance if you don't help me!" whined Ron. Hermione shrugged and walked over to the dormitory stairs, avoiding Ron's disgruntled looks. After another 10 minutes of sitting quietly in her dorm, Hermione tiptoed down the stairs and peeked round the door into the common room. It was clear. It had seemed everyone had eventually retired to their beds, leaving their mess behind. She crept across the room, pausing momentarily to sigh at the first years asleep in the armchairs by the fire, surrounded by books.  
She felt a sudden twang of emotion, and found herself remembering the days where it was Harry, Ron and her gathered in the armchairs by the fire, cramming in last minute revision for tests they never thought they'd pass, and essays they never would have dreamed they would find themselves writing. How far they had come, how much they had been through since then, those days of being a rather naïve first-year.

She walked on, quietly and steadily, as she climbed through the portrait hole, apologising to the angry fat lady, not very happy with being disturbed this late at night. She crept down to the entrance hall. The doors weren't locked yet, so Filch was probably about. She ran, keeping close to the grass, and keeping an eye out for Mrs. Norris, to the edge of the forest. She looked at her watch, whilst hiding behind the closest tree. It was dead midnight. If he was coming, he would be here.

A pale figure appeared in the darkness behind her. She turned her head slightly to the side, as the tall figure extended his arm, and laid his hand on her shoulder. She may have flinched, mostly out of surprise, but she made no attempt to shake it off.

At the top of the trees surrounding them, they could hear owls hooting in the quiet, disturbing their peace.

"You came…" whispered Draco into her ear.

"You told me to come. You knew I would." said Hermione, in a voice barely audible.

She turned around to face him, looking directly into his smoky grey eyes.

Draco stared back, unblinkingly, hoping that she would say something, give him at least one clue as to why she was really here. Hermione looked around at the forest, she could see Hagrid's hut in the distance.

"So" said Draco. "How are your friends, Potter and Weasel - I mean, Weasley?"

"Don't. Don't do that. You can't talk about them like you actually care. I do know the hate that runs between you all, you know. Don't talk about them, not here."

Draco looked up at the stars, with half a smile on his face.

She was here.

She was here for the same reasons he was.

He knew it.

***

The next Hogsmeade visit was scheduled for the weekend. Harry, Ron and Hermione ad decided to go, despite the warnings of McGonagall about the vast amounts of work Harry and Ron needed to complete if they wished to advance to the next year.

Since that night on the edge of the forest, Hermione and Draco had continued to pass notes to each other in the lessons they shared, whilst making sure that this was kept secret from a still miraculously unknowing Ron and Harry. To Hermione, this just proved their ignorance. During the afternoon, after she had managed to shake them off, Hermione was going to meet Draco in the library. They had decided this would be the safest place, because very little Slytherins ever ventured into there, and it was the same for Harry and Ron.

It was 1:00, and Hermione was waiting nervously by the restricted section. She put her head back into her book, looking at the words, but not taking them in. She then looked anxiously in the direction of the door, and her heart skipped a beat as a tall, blond figure appeared in the doorway.

He walked over to her, with his head down, as if to hide himself from anyone who might be there. She smiled widely inside the book as he sat down next to her. From the corner of her eye, she could see him debating whether to move closer to her, or to continue sitting stiffly where he was. He apparently chose the latter, and looked rather odd as he started to rock backwards and forwards, no doubt thinking what to say. For some reason, Hermione found this very cute. He was being a dork. She made Draco Malfoy act like a dork. _That_ would be going on her gravestone.

"So" She whispered to him. "How are you?"

"Oh! I'm good. How are you?" He said awkwardly.

"Good, thank you. Getting on OK with Snape's essay?"

"Umm…not too bad. It won't be anything like yours will, though!" He mumbled, in an obvious attempt at flattery.

Hermione could feel herself blushing. She couldn't, for the life of her, think of something to say that wasn't really awkward. She wished that she would find some common ground, something they could both talk about naturally, but she couldn't find anything.

Draco was thinking the same thing. He decided just to say the first thing that came into his head, for he felt any more of this awkward silence might kill him.

"So…Hogsmeade this weekend! Are you going?"

"Yeah, but just for a bit, don't wanna waste too much revision time. You?"

"Yep, I just need to be out of the castle for a bit. Maybe I'll see you there, if you happen to be in The Three Broomsticks, at about three-ish?"

"Maybe…"

Hermione looked around as she place her book on the bench next to her.

Draco went for it. He had no idea why, he didn't even mean to do it, but he did. He grabbed her hand that was holding the book. Their eyes met in shock, overcome by this unexpected move.

"I…uhh…umm…I'm sorry, I should probably just -"

Hermione cut across his stuttering.

"No, stay. For a little bit. Please."

His hand still on hers, he nodded.

"I'll stay."

"Good. I was hoping you'd say that. Cause there is something that I have been wanting to ask you."

"Sure. Ask me anything." Hermione could feel him becoming slightly more tense.

"Um…so…are you and Pansy…?"

"What? No, no, never. No, we aren't. How about you and Ron?"

"No. Definitely no. Nothing happening there."

"Good. Well, it's not really good…um, you know what I mean…I think.."

"I know what you mean, Draco." Hermione smiled at him. Awkward and strange though this meeting was, she felt happier now than she had in a while.

"That's good. And makes you the majority of one. You know, sometimes I think that you are the only one that -"

"Really knows you? I know the feeling. I _have_ that feeling_."_

They sat in silence, just looking into each other's eyes for a moment.

Hermione looked at her watch.

"Wow, it's 2:00 already, I should probably be going. Sorry!"

Looking a little disappointed, Draco stood up.

"Yeah, I should probably leave too. Um…See you around. Or in Hogsmeade?" He looked up hopefully.

"Or in Hogsmeade." Hermione smiled at him, watching him fiddle with his shoes and bite his lip.

"So…goodbye until then…"

After a few unsure movements, Draco stuck his hand out. Hermione thought about shaking it, but at the last moment, she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Whispering her goodbye, she turned and ran swiftly from the library, looking back at the door to see Draco standing, rooted to the spot, looking gobsmacked, but at the same time, oddly triumphant. It seems she had done what he didn't have the courage to do.

And that was one of the many things Draco admired about Hermione Granger.

End Of Chapter One.

Hope you liked it!

Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine, all of them are taken from the Harry Potter series from J.K. Rowling. This is just for fun.


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